


if only you'd be mine for a moment, I'd be yours for forever

by OneSmartChicken



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Arranged Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-06 23:44:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14658717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneSmartChicken/pseuds/OneSmartChicken
Summary: Just because the world ended doesn't mean there's not stuff to do. After a terrible first meeting, Bucky and Tony have to figure out how to get along. There's betrayals, confusion, and trials, but somewhere along the way, there's some pretty great stuff.Featuring a lot of badassery, a little smut, and surprisingly good parents, plus dumb boys in love, cuddles galore, and a friend group that should just give up and acknowledge they're totally a family. There might be plot too. Maybe.





	if only you'd be mine for a moment, I'd be yours for forever

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Stark-N-Barnes (StarSpangledBucky)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarSpangledBucky/gifts).



> "What's that, you like angst and misunderstandings? Well you can have the second one." --me, apparently
> 
> I combined so many prompts this can't be healthy. Editing this made me want to kill everyone and then myself so I'm sorry if it's got some glaring errors I could not concentrate for the life of me and Word kept crashing which: not helpful!!
> 
> Prompts combined (paraphrased): Victorian arranged marriage with them not liking each other initially; abo with confused a/a, finding out one of them is an omega; bookstore exchanging notes in books (sorta?); first time; dystopian au, plus general stuff from the likes list. I'm very glad dystopian au was a prompt, because this doesn't technically fully fill the longer ones WOOPS  
> So thanks for giving me two prompts vague enough to not disqualify this, I really hope you enjoy!!!
> 
>  
> 
> -looks at the smut- I TRIED

 

 

 

 

"He'll make a wonderful father," Tony hears, a high, rough and unfamiliar voice. She sounds proud, like one of his father's friends bragging about old war stories and new inventions, but this sounds even _more_ boring.

"He's already looking after other children," agrees another stranger, a man this time, similar in tone and the faint accent Tony can't identify. "The nanny says if he ever disappears--which isn't often of course, you know how _omegas_ are--he can always be found looking after Sarah Rogers's boy. He's got a sickly disposition; it's like James just can't resist." There's titters and chuckles then, in that tone adults use when they're laughing at children and think they're being subtle. His parents laugh along, and the weird thing is that they don't sound like they usually do, not just _humoring_ like his mama and papa usually do with strangers.

"How absolutely _darling_ ," his mama enthuses. Her voice is low and warm in contrast to the woman's, with the familiar rolling accent he loves, passed down through generations of Carbonelli through sheer willpower. She sounds genuinely happy, and he doesn't know _why_. "Antonio is _very_ concerned with having all his _ducks_ in a row, and always getting underfoot. He'll be as _brilliant_ as Howard before long." He preens, knowing Antonio is him even though everyone else calls him Anthony when they won't call him Tony.

"I bet he'll be a charmer too," the strange woman says slyly, and as they laugh again, Tony makes a face. He doesn't _want_ to be a charmer.

"Of course he will be," his papa says. "He's a _Stark_ ," and his mama lets out a quick, bright laugh, and Tony feels a little better.

"Ah, here he is! James, come meet the Starks," the man says, and Tony crouches down further to peek through the banister railing. There's his parents, his mama in a red dress with her curls held up by gold pins, and his father in crisp charcoal and gray. With them are a woman in a green blouse and floral printed pants, and he can just barely see the man's brown-jacketed shoulder. He can't make out features, but the woman has light skin and short brown hair and a scar across her collarbone from one of the Creatures. The scar is still a little red and puffy, with dark veining from the venom, but Jarvis had said that Creature scars stayed fresh for years, when Tony was asking about that sort of thing.

From behind the man came a boy, wearing blue and white, with long brown hair and eyes pale and bright enough that Tony could see their silvery blue all the way at the top of the stairs.

"James, these are Mr. and Mrs. Stark," the woman said.

"Hullo," James said politely. Maria knelt down, and Tony instantly bristled at the sight of her bare shoulderblades. It was a _dangerous_ pose, leaving her back wide open, and her balance impaired, as even her flat-footed style of kneeling could only supply so much stability. His mama had told him to _always_ be ready for attack, but here she was, willingly _vulnerable_ , just for this random little brat? Tony clenched the railing, quietly and abruptly furious.

"Hello James," Maria said, unaware of her eavesdropping son's dilemma. "My son is _Antonio_ , though you would say Anthony. He's your age. When the two of you are older, you will be married, cementing an _alliance_ between the Barnes and Stark families." Maria was not one to coddle children, particularly those other than Tony. James's face scrunched up, and he bit his lip, looking suspiciously at Maria, which was terrible. How dare he be suspicious of Tony's mama? Tony's fingers tightened further, so tight his knuckles turned white and his fingers hurt.

"Will we fight the Creatures together?" James asked and then, worst of all, Maria reached out and _took his hands_. Tony's vision edged into red and he let out a furious scream.

The next thing Tony knew, he was being held under his papa's arm like a sack, while his parents apologized and the adults all laughed, saying stuff like, "Understandable," and, "Territorial alphas," and, _"Next time, maybe."_ He twisted around and bared his teeth at James, half behind his mother but not hiding. James had a bloody nose, but he didn't look scared; he looked like the only reason he wasn't throwing himself at Tony and wailing on him was the grip his mother had on him. Which was fair, since Tony's papa's grip was the only thing keeping _him_ back, and never mind that his face hurt and he definitely looked at least as bad as Bucky.

Jarvis appeared swiftly, and Howard passed his son over with a crooked grin, undeniably proud despite the social faux pas. His boy was a _fierce_ little alpha.

Tony thought about having a fit, but Jarvis took one look at him and said, "Shall we go see what Ana's up to, Master Anthony?" and Tony's righteous fury paused. He pursed his lips, thinking first about trying to attack James again and probably get in _real_ trouble, and then about Missus Jarvis in the kitchen or garden or wherever she'd decided was her jurisdiction for the moment.

He nodded, tucking himself against Jarvis and pointedly ignoring the Barneses _and_ his parents in his best attempt at a proper Stark snub, though it was more of a _Carbonelli_ _pout_.

Later, his mama came and found him, when he was digging up tulip bulbs under Ana's watchful eye. It had been long enough that Tony had begun to feel embarrassed, and maybe a little ashamed. Maria put her back to the wall and crouched, flat-footed and sturdy and only a little vulnerable, like they were _supposed_ to. He didn't understand why she had knelt so unsafely earlier, and didn't know how to ask.

"Are you sorry, mi passerino?" she murmured, rubbing dirt from his cheek with a swipe of her thumb. He frowned, but nodded. She smiled at him, which instantly made him feel a bit better. "Do you want to apologize before they leave?" He thought about it, but--he didn't think he could face James. He felt mad still, despite the regret, and he wasn't sure he wouldn't attack again.

Unable to articulate that, he shook his head.

"Okay," she said, "do you want to write him a note then, bambi?" And he nodded, so she took his hand and they went inside and he wrote his first letter to James Barnes, with some input from his mother, who had a great deal of experience writing letters--including apology ones, much to Tony's scandalized awe.

_Barnes Villa, to the care of_ _Mister James Barnes_  
_I am sorry that I hit you_ _and that I did not introduce myself. It was rude and regretted._  
_Your intended,_  
_Anthony Edward Stark, Stark Tower_

Travel between Stark Tower and Barnes Villa (two settlements that only bore passing resemblances to the iconic family homes they were originally named for) was nothing like safe, but there was always caravans braving the trip, making a living in their old-world vehicles and, increasingly, with the aide of various large animals. Three months after their less than ostentatious first meeting, Maria convinced Tony to write another letter to James, prompted by a short one from James that had arrived two weeks prior.

_Anthony_  
_I'm sorry I hit you back._  
_James_

Maria had said James was using an informal writing style and that Tony could respond in kind, but that he had to respond eventually; it was only polite. Starks maintained a reputation for politeness. So, after some fussing and fidgeting and pouting and a bit of hiding, Tony complied, laying aside the matter of the fight on Maria's advice. He also secured a promise that no one would read the letter, or any others he and James exchanged in the future, cleverly citing the private affairs of an _intended_ _couple_. His mama had laughed but agreed, and then Jarvis had agreed to the second, equally important part.

_James_  
_I'm writing this so Jarvis will take me to the market with him. I want to see the caravan. Mama promises no one but you will read this. You should convince your parents too so we can write what we want._  
_Tony_  
_P.S. No one calls me Anthony_ _unless I'm in trouble_

He went to the market and handed the letter over himself, to an older boy with a junker he'd painted red.

"I _have_ to send this," Tony admitted. "He's my _fiance_."

"Oh? What's his name? And what's yours, I guess," the boy said, tucking the letter into a bag with other letters.

"I'm Tony. He's James, of Barnes Villa," he said.

"Mm. Nice to meet you, Tony. I'm Phil," he said, and stuck out his hand to shake, which Tony did. Grinning, Phil asked in a lightly teasing tone, "Is James pretty at least?" Tony wrinkled his nose at him in disapproval.

"What's pretty gotta do with marriage?" he asked, and had to stand there scowling while Phil laughed.

"Sorry, sorry," Phil said. "Maybe it'll make sense when you're older. You Starks like tech, right? How about I let you check out Lola as an apology?" Tony perked up as Phil lightly thumped the hood of his junker.

That was how Tony made his first friend, in the Shield caravan.  
  
  


 

When Bucky was six he met the man he was going to marry. His mom told him so. His dad said that his future husband was the heir of a powerful family, heads of a compound turned settlement as old as their own. The Barneses specialized in highly trained soldiers using techniques that predated the Wars and the Terribles and the Creatures (which lead to a history lesson about there being a time before the Creatures). The Starks, meanwhile, specialized in weaponry. More than just old guns kept in working order, or batons or knives or--well, more than the already wide variety the Barneses utilized.

It would be years before Bucky learned that the Starks made more than weapons.

Meeting his fiancee went poorly, and he spent weeks refusing to even read Anthony's letter, and then weeks refusing to reply to it. What he finally did send wasn't exactly inspired, but it was better than nothing. And then, best of all, the reply Anthony-- _Tony_ \--sent back had a brilliant idea. Because their parents obviously wanted them to get along, and he could tell where Tony was coming from; they had a point to _negotiate_ from.

"Daddy," he said, climbing into Jim Barnes's lap. The big man grunted as knees found unfortunate bits, and scooped Bucky up before he could suffer any further.

"What, Jimmy?" he said, grinning at the face Bucky made at his nickname. His family called him Jimmy, his friends called him Bucky, and, apparently, his fiancee called him James.

"Tony 'n' me," he said, trying to go slow, picking his words with care. "We wanted, uhm. Y'know how you and Mommy have parent time?" Jim nodded, and Bucky didn't see the amusement tucked into his smile. "We want that too. With our letters. Uhmm..prib...pro...privity."

"Privacy?" Jim supplied, and Bucky nodded stoically. "You're not just going to send blank letters, are you?" Bucky shook his head emphatically, although that _was_ a pretty sneaky idea. "Alright, I'll talk to your mother. But you have to promise to tell us if Anthony upsets you."

"Promise," he agreed, and ran off to write his letter, leaving behind a chuckling Jim.

_Tony_  
_Good idea. Dad said yes._  
_James_  
  


After proving himself trustworthy the once, Tony set a precedent to always be the one to hand over his letter for James. And, since they had put the fight behind them, Tony went down to the market with Jarvis every month, and every month he talked with Phil, checked under Lola's hood, and started what would prove to be a lifelong calling: _tinkering_.

After four months of boring letters, Tony couldn't help himself.

_James_  
_I get to hand off my letter to you every month, and Shield is really cool. I think I made a friend. Their haulers are awesome._  
_Tony_  
  


Bucky used the letter to convince his mom to take him to town for his letter hand-off too. But Bucky didn't meet Phil. Instead he met a tiny girl with hair like fire who knew Russian, which she said was a language from across the ocean. She immediately decided they were friends and that, as friends, Bucky had to learn Russian too, and also sign language, because she needed someone to practice with (she refused to tell him why she was learning sign language).

_Tony_  
_My best friend is Steve. He's a punk._  
_James_

_James_  
_I lit my hair on fire today. What's a punk?_  
_Tony_

_Tony_  
_I'll introduce you to Steve and you'll know what a punk is._  
_James_  
  


The letters went on and on, month to month. Sometimes it wasn't the Shield caravan, and sometimes the boys made new friends-of-sorts, or sometimes they didn't. Two years passed, and the letters were still short, but they were interesting, sometimes. Pleasant. And with his mama's advice, Tony sent a very important letter.

_James_  
_You don't have to reply to this one. Mama says we're coming to visit next month. I want to meet Steve._  
_Tony_

Bucky smiled when he read the news, and ran to tell his best friend. Steve's mother was one of the medics, a quick woman with a no-nonsense blond braid, but a big, warm smile. She called Bucky her other son, and the one time his parents had made a fuss about how much time the boys spent together, she'd done the most _amazing_ thing--she rolled her eyes and told them to quit being idiots. Bucky hadn't ever heard anyone call his parents idiots before, but Sarah Rogers was _the_ Sarah Rogers, and somehow that ended with no one having any issues with his and Steve's friendship.

Their shenanigans, though. Plenty of issues to be had there.

Bucky climbed right into Steve's window cause it was faster than going around to the door and Auntie Sarah didn't mind, so long as he was careful in case Steve was sick again. Well, sicker than usual.

Steve wasn't though, was sitting in bed drawing, looking up when Bucky blocked the light from the window. His face lit up with a big grin.

"Hey Buck!" he exclaimed, and zeroed in on the letter. Everyone underestimated Steve, but that was cause they weren't really looking. Steve was sharp as a tack, even if he was kind of a dummy sometimes, picking fights like he wasn't about as tough as a newborn kitten.

"Tony's comin t'visit," Bucky explained. He jumped on the bed, grinning as he shoved the letter at his friend's face, making him go cross-eyed. "Him and his mom, who's pretty nice even if she is a Stark." Everyone knew Starks were snobs, but they needed an alliance, and there were worse things to be than snobs. Like Creature chow.

"Like you even mind that stuff any more," Steve said, rolling his eyes just like his ma. "Only reason you're not best friends with Tony is cause you're so far apart, and you're stubborn."

"Shuddup," Bucky grumbled, even though it was maybe true.

Only, when Tony got there, it turned out they weren't so much there to see Bucky, as there to see Barnes Villa and meet Bucky's (way-too-many) sisters. He was the only boy of the five, and probably the only omega, unless itty bitty Kit turned out softer than her vicious older sisters. Course, Bucky was pretty mean for an omega, but his mom was too; that was just being a Barnes.

Bucky watched the two of them, trying to see the Tony he traded letters with, or even the Tony that punched him, in the smiling boy politely greeting his parents, introducing himself to his sisters. He couldn't see him, not until they got a minute to themselves, at his dad's suggestion. Then Tony looked at him, and smiled, this shy little smile, and suddenly Bucky could see it, the boy he'd expected, the one who enthused about the caravan and dreamed bigger than Bucky'd known anyone could.

"Sorry. Mom got kinda carried away. I don't think she's been out of Stark Tower since...maybe since I was born," Tony said, scrunching up his nose.

"S'okay," Bucky said promptly. "C'mon, y'gotta meet Steve." He grabbed Tony's hand and they grinned at each other, then ran off to spend an hour running around with Steve, under Sarah's watchful but indulgent eye. Tony didn't even do that thing a lotta kids did when he met Sarah, where they got all quiet and bug-eyed like they couldn't believe they were meeting _the_ Sarah Rogers, former gunslinging bounty hunter turned medic and mom. The list of people Sarah had personally saved, before and after becoming a medic, was longer than the list of people and Creatures she'd hunted down, and that was saying a lot cause her lists were _long_. The list of dead on her leg was curling and twisted, wrapping around her ankle and running down to her toes, and that didn't include any of the Creatures.

Even if she was his Aunt Sarah, Bucky could admit that he kinda got why other kids acted like they did.

But not Tony. Tony just smiled, somewhere between the shy one he'd given Bucky and the shiny one he gave everyone else, and stuck out a hand, said, "Hello, Miss Rogers, I'm Tony Stark. Thanks for saving Nick Fury even though he's kinda weird and a little scary." Sarah smiled and ruffled his hair and they got to the important business of play.

It seemed good. Like maybe their letters would start getting longer, like maybe they'd know each other before they were married, be friends properly instead of just knowing each other and mostly getting along. They talked happily about the next time they could see each other, and about visiting more when they were old enough to travel without their busy parents. Bucky went to bed that night feeling like maybe he could wanna marry Tony, when they were older and marrying made sense.

It didn't work out like that though.  
  
  
  


On their way home from Barnes Villa, Maria and Tony were attacked by their escorts, Barnes and supposedly Stark loyal alike. It was two loyal young Starks, and the handful of caravan tagalongs, that saved them. Maria walked away with a new limp--carrying Tony, bloody and dying, though no two people could agree what he was dying from.

No caravans traveled with less than a dozen people, and no hunters traveled with more than four; anything in between was too many for stealth and too few for defense. But eight wounded people, one of which was an unconcious child and the two Starks were young enough as to nearly be children too, walked all the way to Stark Tower.

Contrary to the stories, Maria didn't carry Tony the whole way, but they passed him around the group, even when he tried to insist on walking; even when they were attacked by Creatures, the Stark loyalists stuck to him, protecting him and trying to keep his heartrate down, trying to keep him alive. Tony made two new friends on that trip, Pepper and Rhodey, who would prove lifelong allies.

The Starks declared war and weren't real picky about who with. If Tony, their only heir, had died, they might have done something terrible, with all their weapons and technology that just about everyone else didn't think even existed any more. But Tony lived, so they were only drastic.

That was bad enough, but while Maria was earning a limp, and Tony was nearly dying, the Barneses were repelling an attack of terrifyingly well-armed mercenaries. Stark tech, and everyone knew how the Starks were with their tech. The Barneses suffered various injuries, some long-lasting, and lost over a dozen of their loyalists, nearly lost their eldest and heir, as well as Bucky and little Kit.

The two families sent a representative, heavily guarded, to exchange two documents apiece. One to declare a feud, and the other to annul the engagement of Tony Stark and James Barnes. The boys in question weren't consulted on the decision, only informed of it after the fact, and both with the same tone of _good riddance to bad news._  
  
  
  


Tony had three friends. Phil who had a junker that pretty much qualified as a car after all the work Tony'd put into it; Rhodey who always seemed to be there to see Tony at his worst and apparently loved him anyway; and Pepper who was probably going to be running Stark Tower before too long whether or not Maria and Howard succeeded in talking her into marrying Tony (they wouldn't) and was the nicest person to ever be basically terrifying.

And once he had a fiancee who he might have loved.

At fifteen, he was a dedicated inventor, a formidable opponent, and a rather lonely child.

There was an echo, written long ago, on scraps of paper carried by caravan across infested lands. As Tony had three friends, so too did James. As James watched his parents fading ever further into their growing war, so too did Tony.

Not that either of them knew of this symmetry. But it was there, unknowingly compelling them forward.

Stretching, Tony could just barely reach the strut, which was not going to work. Cursing, he hopped down off the wobbling chair. "Back in a sec, Dummy," he promised, trotting off to search his workshop. In a past life, the workshop might have been an apartment or a small house or a very large garage. Now it was stripped down and reinforced, a sprawling space crowded with junk and inventions and all manner of things in between. The perfect place to find an old box full of junk.

Hefting the box onto his hip, Tony rushed back to his glitching bot. He shoved the box onto the chair, ignoring a particularly ominous creak, and scrambled onto it with monkey-ish dexterity and sheer Stark stubbornness. Latching onto Dummy, he reached up, getting to work with quick, clever fingers and tiny tools far more durable than appearance suggested. As the last screw tightened, he let out a gratified, "Aha!" At the same time, the door slammed open, Rhodey hollering his name, and Tony jumped. As the chair gave way at last to the inevitability of time, and the box clattered to the floor, Tony clung to Dummy's strut, dangling precariously over a field of scattered junk.

He twisted to see his two best friends staring at him in mixed disapproval, horror, and a little bit of awe.

"Hey," he said, casual. "Could you--ah, never mind, I got it." Swinging himself, he kicked at Dummy's base, finally catching his bare toes on the bot's switch. Dummy came alive with a gleeful whir. He spun around, until Tony's shrieking caught on, and then gently set his creator down. Tony patted his camera head, grinning fondly.

"Really Tones?" Rhodey sighed. "You haven't even slept, have you?" It wasn't really a question.

"Of course not. He probably stayed up on purpose," Pepper mused, lips twitching despite herself. Really, she was such an enabler. "Tony, you're supposed to not be a grease monkey today. Remember?" She strode across the 'shop just to poke him in the cheek.

He blinked at her. "Pep, why do you look all..." Tony gestured to her unhelpfully. "Clean?" He probably deserved the swat.

"It's our big day," Rhodey said, giving Tony his best imitation of Tony's own ridiculous puppy dog eyes.

Tony, damn him, checked in a drawer and said, confidently, "Mmm nope, Pepper hasn't popped the question yet," and then beamed cheekily at them.

"Jackass," Rhodey bemoaned his friendship. He hugged Tony anyway, smacking a kiss to his forehead. "We're officially your bodyguards today."

"Yes, dear, you're very tough," Tony said, encouragingly, giving his hand a pat like Rhodey wasn't seven years older and all but literally his big brother.

"Oddly enough," Pepper carried on. "They require _you_ to be present to actually accept _your_ guards, and usually expect you to look nice--though I understand they'll settle for _decent_ from you." He stuck his tongue out at her as Rhodey chortled.

"Fine, okay, what time is it?" Tony accepted his fate with a yawn.

"Currently or the ceremony?" Pepper asked.

"Both," Tony said.

"It's ten, and we know you, so it's in thirty minutes," Pepper said with maximum cheer. Tony cursed, breaking into a brisk jog that they easily matched even as they laughed at him. He scrubbed down and got dressed in the clothes Rhodey handed to him and managed to walk into the ceremony looking as poised and confident as a nerdy teenage boy could hope for.  
  
  
  


"Just as well," his mother mused as Bucky bit his knuckles, holding back an alpha snarl. He'd spent his whole life thinking he was an omega, only for puberty to knock his socks off with one helluva violet streak. He didn't hurt any of his friends and family at least, but anyone who looked at them funny? Well, there was a reason he was in medical, and it wasn't for any of _his_ injuries.

"Hmm?" he questioned, less out of a desire for his mother to finish that thought than just as a distraction. Some assholes picking on Steve, nothing new, but he wanted to go back there and _murder_ _them_. Literally, no exaggeration necessary. It was probably a good thing he was raised omega, or else he'd think this insanity was normal instead of _completely fucked up._

"That you're an alpha, dear," she clarified. Knowing what she was thinking, Bucky had to bite down again. "That Stark boy...Well, you're better off an alpha." She carefully didn't say anything against Tony outright.

That was the big issue, as far as his family was concerned. Bucky's instincts still counted Tony as one of his, and had made no effort to conceal that fact from anyone. Snarl enough times over dinner and your family finally stopped mentioning your ex-fiancee, mainly out of self preservation.

He wisely didn't say anything stupid like _I don't think he would have minded_ or, worse, **_I_** _wouldn't have minded._ Bad enough they knew he was still hung up on the guy who betrayed their family--or, well, his family did; Tony had been just a kid--no one needed to know how bad his crush remained. The worst part was how it hadn't even _seemed_ like a crush until puberty.

Then again, at what point did crushes ever _seem_ like crushes? Did anyone really know they were crushing without inconvenient bodily reactions or teasing from asshole friends?

Probably, come to think of it. Those lucky, well-adjusted bastards.

"Bucky," Sarah said, saving him from this hell. He turned to blink at her, dropping his hand because he never lost his temper at Sarah. Even his instincts considered her a second mother, and she never spoke ill of Tony, so she was mostly his favorite person. She arched one brow and he ducked his head.

"Yes ma'am," he mumbled. "Sorry ma'am."

"Mhmm," she allowed skeptically, then she sighed. She walked over to run a maternal hand through his hair, tugging lightly on the short hairs, still unfamiliar after a childhood of long locks. "Bucky, I love you honey, but you need an outlet."

"I do," he agreed sadly. Unfortunately, anyone good enough to beat him in practice was too busy. Sarah could, but even if she wasn't busy in the way the other fighters thought of as busy, she was a medic, and a really good one at that.

Sarah sighed again. "Buck," she said, with enough reluctance in her tone that he peeked up at her. She was frowning, which made sense when she said, "Have you considered the caravans?" Then his mom and Sarah got in a fight, which was usually freaky enough to distract him (he didn't know about most omegas, but his mom and Sarah didn't like to yell or throw punches, at least not at each other, so it was mostly a lot of glaring and hissing that was _way_ scarier than it seemed possible). He got caught up thinking about the caravans instead though, and fuck, that was a _brilliant_ idea.

"The Shield comes by next month," he said, his soft voice breaking up the fight, though his mom was still snarling a bit. "I bet I could talk Nat into it." Nat was always game for dangerous stupidity. He glanced at Sarah, biting his lip. "I can't keep it from Stevie."

Sarah sighed. She slumped a little, under the knowledge of what a stubborn little shit her kid was.

"I know," she said, which was as good as permission. He scowled at the floor. He'd kinda been hoping she'd have a better idea than just _letting_ the dumb punk go out with him and a caravan. Then again, there was unlikely and then there was miracles, and getting Steve to see sense was sometimes more of the latter.

"Okay," he sighed and nodded. "Alright. I'll look after him."

"I know you will, sweetheart," Sarah said quietly. She kissed his hair, and went back to being a medic. He walked out of there with his mom, and no one tried to fight it when he and Stevie left with Shield the next month.  
  
  
  


With (official) personal bodyguards, Tony was less restricted. It still took almost two years, but he finally pushed hard enough to leave their territory. Not just the compound of the original Stark Tower, but the entire city-state they had conquered in the last ten years. Even Rhodey and Pepper were excited for the trip, just a scavenge with the three of them, having been cooped up in Stark Tower nearly as long as him.

"It's an old _junkyard_ ," he said, not for the first time, bubbling with eagerness. "There's no way they've found _everything_. I mean it'll probably be disgusting and a lot digging but--junkyard!" He was being quiet enough to avoid getting shushed, but made up for it in enthusiasm, enough to get his friends to endure the millionth repetition of 'junkyards are cool' instead of strangling him for a bit of peace.

It also wasn't the first time they heard a Creature, and even if it was close they'd quickly learned to trust Tony's own reflexes well enough that he pressed himself against a tree, letting them take point as he powered up his gauntlet.

Then they heard a human yell, and they'd all three been protectors all their lives; they took off running without a word. None of them would stay behind, after all, and none of them would hesitate to help a stranger, at least not against Creatures.

Maybe it wasn't entirely smart, but there was more to life than genius.

So Tony was there to watch as one of the (fortunately rare) flying Creatures dropped James, there to hear his scream, there to feel his own stomach twist like he'd been gutted by the sound and there to know that most people didn't immediately recognize each other after nine years but here he was, knowing it was James without even a proper look.

He sprinted across the field, Pepper at his left as Rhodey leapt into the fray. They skidded to a halt, and Tony stood over James as he raised his gauntleted hand, heard an incredulous, pained, "Tony?" before the repulsor nearly knocked him on his ass. Pepper kept him upright with a shove (which made James snarl for some reason) and his second shot took the roc's head off. Pepper had to catch him properly that time, and he lowered the power on the repulsor while she stood guard. He nodded at her, and she kept her post while he dropped to the ground, pulling out bandages and swallowing back panic.

"Hey James," he crooned, and smiled when James managed to focus on him. "I'm going to wrap your arm. It's gonna suck, but try not to hurt me." James gave him an odd look, then he closed his eyes, and Tony got to work. At some point, other people joined him, helping, using more than just the bandages he could manage mid-battle. Around the same time he stopped hearing Creatures, and Rhodey and Pepper came to stand protectively at hand. James fell asleep, or passed out, and some of the pain eased from his face, and Tony finally let himself be pushed aside, let his friends pull him away to stand apart.

Phil was there at least. He wasn't the only one of Shield that they knew, but he was the only one they trusted. He came over just to stand with them, and together, they waited. And Tony thought, _I could build an arm._  
  
  
  


Bucky figured he was dreaming, but it seemed like a decent dream so he didn't mind. He could've done without the pain, but he was so fuzzy that it wasn't a focal point. He was laying in the back of a car, with his head in a lap that wasn't familiar but he knew it anyway, like an instinct, ingrained into his very soul. He blinked up at a bleary face, managing to focus on warm brown eyes and long lashes and a soft mouth he wanted to steal a kiss from, except he'd rather have one gifted to him.

Luckily that was a lot of syllables and his own mouth couldn't really handle it, so all he said was a hoarse, "Tony."

The face leaned closer, getting clearer, and those lips looked even prettier smiling, even if his eyes were full of worry.

"James," Tony said, and then some other stuff, something about Phil and Lola, who had the smoothest ride so he was probably in her back seat. James hummed along, just watching Tony's mouth move. "And you are not listening," Tony said, and Bucky loved how his eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Listening," Bucky assured him.

"Just not retaining," Tony teased with a twinkle in his eyes that was prettier than starlight. "It's okay. You're safe. Go back to sleep."

Something about that didn't sit right. Bucky opened one eye to squint at Tony. He grunted something, probably Tony's name, but Tony looked confused.

"You too," he finally insisted. Tony's face softened.

"We're _all_ safe," he promised. "Go back to sleep." And Bucky was pretty tired so he did.  
  
  
  


Bucky was in and out for the whole ride to Barnes land, and for the wait while Steve, who wasn't as skinny and sickly as Tony remembered even if he was still kind of a twig, ran to get his mother. Sarah Rogers snuck all three Starks in, which wasn't too hard; only caravans were likely to recognize any of them, and Shield was the only one visiting. Since they'd promised not to say anything, and Phil had promised to look out for traitors via a very serious nod, they'd probably be fine unless James's parents saw them and recognized Tony.

That was what Sarah was for; making sure they didn't wander too close to the villa proper on their way to medical. Or rather, at her insistence, to her house to await being allowed to see Bucky again. They settled in for a long wait, only to have a nurse rush in after less than an hour, so harried she didn't even notice Pepper and Rhodey grabbing their weapons. Luckily Steve was right on her heel.

"Sarah said we need--just Tony," the nurse gasped. "Now, right now!" And she was helping James, and Steve looked frantic, so Tony waved for his friends and guards to stay, and let himself be dragged away, Steve shoving a too-large cap onto his head, probably to make him less recognizable. Which it _should_ , considering there wasn't a single cap in his wardrobe and the last time he'd worn a hat was for winter.

"Tony!" Sarah exclaimed. "He woke up without you, didn't like it. Come on, you should hold his hand, talk to him. I barely kept him from running off to find you. Bucky, sweetheart, look, Tony's back." Bucky was stripped and bloody and looking at him made Tony want to cry.

"Tony?" Bucky whispered, blinking teary eyes at him, so Tony sat down and took his hand, laid his head down on Bucky's good shoulder after a quick question to Sarah to make sure it was okay, and as Tony started talking about Dummy and junkyards, Bucky finally relaxed, and the medics got to work.  
  
  
  


Tony couldn't stay forever, had already stayed too long when Bucky was finally on few enough meds to be basically coherent.

"It was good," Bucky admitted. "Seeing you again."

Tony grabbed his hand in both of his own and said, "I'm gonna build you a new arm," and, "We'll sneak you in, you'll see," and, "Everything'll be fine, James, I promise."

And Bucky smiled, lopsided and soft, with eyes so bright and glittering Tony's heart fluttered desperately, battering at his ribcage like it was trying to make a break for it, trying to run to James who was so heartbreakingly pretty that Tony didn't know what to do with him if he couldn't kiss him senseless.

"Everyone calls me Bucky," he said, looking at their clasped hands.

After a long hesitation, Tony asked, quiet and clearly worried, "Should _I_ _?_ " Bucky laughed, soft and genuine but not enough to jostle his shoulder. He'd had to figure out that trick pretty quick.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I like it." And Tony's heart got even more ridiculous, and his face went red, and Bucky's cheeks were pink, so he thought _fuck it_ and kissed Bucky's cheek, a quick buss that could mean anything (and might've meant everything).

"Phil can get you in," he said. Then he left, because otherwise he was never going to, and if he didn't get back soon his parents would find out and arrange a manhunt and finding him on Barnes land would be bad for everyone.

Sarah came in after he left. She didn't say a word, just hugged Bucky, and though her embrace was gentle, he could smell the fury on her. It wasn't directed at him or Tony though, so he just held on, and he didn't cry, but it might have been easier if he did.  
  
  
  


Tony built an arm. And then he built another and another and another, and James wasn't fast at hand, so he dragged in old vets missing limbs, and commandeered medical equipment no one one would miss, and he built and built and built until schematics ran across the backs of his eyelids and he missed James with a desperation like physical pain and sometimes he woke up and found himself leaning against the door (any door) like he thought James might walk through any minute.  
  
  
  


Shield brought Bucky to Stark Tower, and Pepper and Rhodey snuck him into Tony's workshop. He had to stop only a few feet in, just to stare, open-mouthed. It was a mess, and it was _beautiful_ , amazing. It was like a pocket of time where no one got the memo that the world had ended decades ago, like none of that mattered, like one mad, brilliant genius could look past all the fighting and dangers and death, and build a big squeaky arm on wheels with too much personality for such a simple looking thing.

Tony turned around, and his eyes caught on Bucky, and he smiled like Bucky just brought him the moon. And Bucky thought, _maybe next time._ And a little bit he thought, _I could love you._

Funny; Tony was thinking the same thing.

There was arming to be discussed though, so the topic was silently shelved, and Tony held up Bucky's (hopefully) new arm.

"I've been mostly testing on old retired guards," Tony said. "So the weight should be okay for a big tough guy like you."

"Probably," Bucky said agreeably. It was surprisingly tiresome, all the little things Tony had him do. Trying on harnesses, flexing a lot, trying to use an arm he no longer had, playing fetch with his robot when Tony got distracted. Tony filled the time with chatter.

He started with, "So, alpha?" and an eyebrow wriggle, and somehow it worked. Tony was still a little awkward, but he'd started growing into it, leaning into his goofiness, smiling easier. He had more masks too, but, and maybe Bucky was just being conceited, he didn't think Tony bothered much with masks when it was just the two of them.

He was eighteen and down an arm and he'd been in love with a boy for ten years and that boy had grown into a young man who was giving him his arm back. Bucky swayed forward, laid his forehead on Tony's shoulder, and as Tony stilled, Bucky felt quiet and calm for the first time in--ever, he thought. For the first time he could remember, the world felt soft and a little kind, and possibilities felt endless, and his heart felt full.

Tony ran his hands through Bucky's hair, which was getting long again, enough to spill through his fingers in silky tails. He tilted his head into Bucky's, and continued his chatter, softer now, working on fitting the harness to Bucky perfectly. And if Bucky pressed a kiss to Tony's collarbone just before Rhodey came to check in, well. They were none of them strangers to secrets.  
  
  
  


Bucky had two arms. One was flesh and blood, the other was hammered steel and quietly grinding joints and leather clinging to a callous he'd developed over months of wearing it. The metal one should have been big and heavy and slow, and sometimes it wasn't as fast as all that, but it moved fluidly, and it had five perfectly articulated fingers and a wrist that rolled smoothly, and it never let him down when it was important.

He also had two omega sisters, and they were full of teeth and snarls and he didn't know how to say, _What does omega even mean?_ They smelled like flowers and quiet places, softer than Sarah or his mother, but they were no softer than they'd been back when everyone assumed they'd be alphas, back when they thought Bucky would be an omega.

Bucky smelled like gun oil and horses, like Creature blood and wherever he'd been last with Shield. Nat liked to crease her nose at him and tell him he smelled, even though she didn't smell any better most of the time. Clint said they both reeked but not as bad as Fury, finger-spelling the name like anyone didn't know his thoughts on the man. Clint was who they'd learned sign language for, of course, so long ago practicing symbols with each other in between Russian lessons. He had old hearing aides that everyone always looked for more batteries for, and the three of them would talk with their fingers when they didn't want anyone else to hear, grinning at each other and giggling to themselves. Steve started learning as soon as they joined the caravan, and he was always a fast learner.

They were the only ones who he talked with about Tony, because they wouldn't say the obvious things about _why_ _not_ , would just call him names and poke fun like nothing else mattered in the world.

And out with the caravan, going from compound to trading post to settlement, it was easy to feel like nothing else did. They went and snuck him into Stark Tower as often as they could, almost _monthly_ , and he felt like he was seeing Tony so often it was almost overwhelming, and not nearly enough.

"Are we there yet?" he signed to Clint, who flipped him the bird.

"Yasha," Nat sighed. She turned to sit backwards on her horse, because she had about a quarter as much fear of anything as any sane person should. Not that Bucky was one to talk. Signing, she said, "Don't start taking your crush out on us. Maybe if your stupid families weren't at war..." She cocked a brow.

"Can you blame us?" he signed back, scowling. "They attacked us." And Clint suddenly perked up, tuning back in with wide eyes.

"Wait," he said, out loud, then continued with signs. "With us for how long and you don't know the story?"

"What story?" Bucky demanded, keeping nonverbal, sensing this should maybe be a private conversation. He reached out to cuff Steve's leg, making sure he was paying attention too. Nat and Clint exchanged a speaking look.

"The two big families of the east coast. They both betrayed each other on the same day." And then Bucky finally learned the story of how the Starks and Barneses nearly lost their heirs, and the quieter whispers, about how many people would like to see the two families in chaos.

He clenched his jaw, didn't say a word all the way to the Stark border. He climbed into one of the trucks, letting one of the regulars take his horse for the ride to the Tower. He barely restrained himself from running to the workshop, bouncing on his heels every second he had to wait before Pepper waved him in. When he saw Tony, he jumped forward, sudden enough to make Tony start, which made Bucky freeze, lungs constricting. Tony wasn't anything like afraid though, except a crease of worry to his brows as he reached out to Bucky, and that was good enough, close enough to encouragement.

Bucky scooped him up into his arms, dragging him up high enough to tuck his face against Tony's neck so he could gasp in lungfuls of Tony's scent, machine grease and sweat and something fruity Bucky couldn't name. Tony wrapped his arms around Bucky's neck, clinging back just as tightly, pressing kisses to Bucky's hair.

"James?" Tony murmured against his ear. "Are you okay, baby?" Bucky kissed Tony's neck in response. He shifted his grip, moving his flesh arm from Tony's waist, down to grasp his hip, drawing a stuttering gasp from Tony.

"James?" he repeated, unafraid still, but unsure.

Dammit. Bucky was going to have to use words. But then he thought about the words he wanted--needed--to say, and didn't mind it so much. He released Tony's hip, drawing back just enough to look Tony in the eyes as he cupped his cheek, where he was a little scruffy from trying to grow his goatee. It'd be good when he got a little less patchy, and for the moment, gods help him, it was _cute_.

"Tony," Bucky said, softly, feeling overwarm. Not nervous though. He hadn't expected it, but he felt calm, with only breaths between he and Tony, and Tony's hands on his neck and shoulders, holding on like Bucky was his only port in the storm, looking trusting and fearless even though he'd given Bucky an arm that could bend steel.

"James," Tony said with a little quirk of a smile. Bucky wanted to taste it. He licked his lips and a thrill went through him when Tony's gaze darted down to follow the movement.

"Tony," Bucky said again, lower, improbably closer. "I love you."

Tony opened his mouth in a surprised little gasp, and then he grinned, huge and bright and starry and soft, and Bucky bent the last fraction of an inch to kiss it, even as Tony laughed into his mouth in sheer delight. Tony dug his fingers into Bucky's hair like he never wanted to let go.

"I love you too," Tony breathed, and turned the clumsy meeting of mouths into a real kiss as he finally stopped laughing.

Bucky picked him up, shoving things off the nearest table to make room for Tony, crowding in between legs that dropped open at the first nudge of Bucky's knee, letting Tony drag him down, letting himself drown and revel in the taste and feel of the one thing in that moment that mattered. He pinned Tony's wriggling hips with one hand, used the other to hold Tony's wrists, as he left Tony's mouth to bite marks down his throat instead.

Tony gasped and writhed, but didn't make a move to free his hands, just threw back his head so Bucky could have better access.

"Tony, you need--oh goddammit," Pepper interrupted in an unusual display of terrible timing. Tony groaned. Bucky dropped his head onto the chest he'd been so close to baring, letting go of Tony's wrists. Not that his interest had flagged at all, but Pepper wouldn't have come in if it wasn't important. He bit Tony through his shirt to keep from snapping at Pepper, another alpha too close to Tony at the worst time. Not only out of fear/respect for Pepper, but because Tony adored her and would doubtless kick Bucky if he snarled at Pepper, though he allowed Bucky's quiet growling.

Sure enough, Pepper made a frustrated noise and closed the door behind her, throwing the lock.

"I honestly cannot tell you how much I don't want to interrupt," Pepper said, earnest and teasing and deadly serious all at once. "But I just saw Happy, and he looks pretty nervous." Tony sat up at that, forcing Bucky to straighten up and stop biting him, unfortunately. He turned to look at Pepper, staying glued to Tony, not sure how he could even begin to peel himself away but pretty sure he was about to find out.

"Mom's not supposed to be home yet," Tony said. He had a grip on Bucky's belt loop, reassuringly tight, no more eager to separate than Bucky.

Pepper nodded grimly. "You know how Happy is," she said.

"Yeah," Tony said. He jumped down from the table, grabbed Bucky's hand. He looked at Bucky, then at Pepper, and his face twisted into something sad and determined. Pepper rubbed at her nose, as her eyes suddenly softened, saddened, just a little.

"Yeah," she said softly, and Bucky was vibrating with nerves, waiting to be let in on their unspoken conversation, but trusting Tony to tell him. "Go. Jim and I will stall, you asshole." Tony smiled at that.

"Love you too, Pep," he said. "You remember--"

"I remember, now _go!_ " she interrupted sharply. Tony didn't need to be told twice.

As Tony started pulling him away, Bucky murmured his name, worry coursing through him at the unfamiliar path they were taking through the workshop. Tony threw him a strained smile over his shoulder.

"Hey," he said, voice tight. "Think there's room for me in Lola?" And Bucky _got_ _it_. There was more to it, more than their frantic kissing and quiet exchange, but Tony was coming with him, and they didn't have time to argue.

"You can ride with me," Bucky said firmly. Tony didn't fight it, and if Bucky hadn't already realized how serious Tony was, that would have done it. Tony was not a fan of horses.

They ran out a back door he hadn't even known about, and Bucky managed to wait until they were hidden between building before he pinned Tony to a wall. He held his face again, leaning their foreheads together.

"Hey, doll," he whispered, hyper aware of how many potential threats there were around. "Talk to me?"

Tony looked up at him, panting, and he leaned up to steal a kiss, face soft and open like the answer to everything was right there on Bucky's mouth.

"There's a traitor in the Tower," he murmured, leaning into Bucky's chest. "I have to find out who it is."

"And you couldn't tell your parents?" Bucky asked, wasn't surprised when Tony shook his head, not after what he'd learned from Nat and Clint earlier. Hell, he was surprised Tony trusted Pepper and Rhodey, let alone Bucky himself. The Barneses were betrayed, but at least it wasn't by their own.

"Okay," he murmured, kissed Tony's forehead before glancing around. "Okay, let's go. We'll leave without Shield."

Tony nodded. Hands tangled together, they snuck out of the Tower, Bucky managing to pass a message on to Clint including Tony's planned rendezvous  before they continued on their way. Tony knew not only the compound proper, but what seemed like every inch outside the Tower, past barricades and guards with silent self assuredness that couldn't be faked. They stopped at a tiny shack that was falling apart to raid a stash, leaving weapons Bucky recognized as Rhodey and Pepper's preferred ones. He didn't think they'd been planning this for long, but it had clearly been long enough.

They kept going through most of the night, until they were both watery-eyed from hopeless yawns, and then they slept tucked into the roots of old trees, fingers on triggers and Tony's gauntlet powered on.  
  
  
  


It took almost a week to get out of Stark lands entirely, having to backtrack and wait out patrols and snatch sleep where they could. They slept tangled up, too afraid to be apart, neither of them able to sleep without the other in reach. Quick, reassuring kisses became the norm, and Bucky came to know Tony's scent as well as his own, addicted to the fruity tang, so bright and rich sometimes he could almost taste it, found himself chasing it on Tony's skin whenever he got the chance.

They made better time, ironically, once they had to start looking out for Creatures. At least the Creatures weren't likely to send an army after them if they were spotted, and Bucky had always been a sneaky fucker. Tony was more pizzazz than him, but did his guards proud, sticking to shadows and stepping with care.

They found their way to a trading post, and Tony had at least thought to bring money, and Bucky haggled a horse off the farm there, a big gelding with a little bit of Creature to him, like most of the animals outside of compounds.

Tony dubbed the horse Lucy, and despite his misgivings about horses, immediately got on with the ornery gelding.

"Pretty sure that makes him yours," Bucky said as Lucy delicately nibbled at Tony's collar. He liked Bucky well enough, but it was his puppy love of Tony that had convinced the farmer to drop the price a solid quarter.

"I guess if I have to have a horse, Lucy's alright," Tony said. Like he wasn't as smitten with Tony as the horse was with him. Bucky rolled his eyes at him, grinning when Tony snorted.  
  
  
  


They made good time on Lucy, good enough to beat everyone else to the Parker ranch, a little not-quite trading post that served as their rendezvous.

It turned out for the best, that there was no one there but the Parkers, leaving the barn and its loft all to Tony and Bucky. Tony interrupted their kissing by laughing, a sudden, startled noise that earned him a concerned frown, but Tony was smiling, even as his cheeks turned from rosy to vibrantly red.

"I thought I was just a really fucking horny teenager," Tony snickered.

"Huh?" Bucky asked. Instead of answering, Tony dragged Bucky's hand to his ass, which Bucky wasn't adverse to at all. He grabbed hold, and, " _Oh_."

"Yeah, _oh_ ," Tony agreed. He whined as Bucky dug his fingers into his wet jeans, then whined again, louder, when Bucky pulled away. He covered his mouth just in time to stifle a shout when Bucky reached into his pants to give Tony a quick pull.

Bucky would've been game if Tony was an alpha too, but this was-- _very_ nice. He got Tony naked in record time, nearly pulling a few seams in the process, and determinedly set about kissing every inch of scar on Tony's chest.

"Manticore?" he guessed, and didn't ask anything more after Tony's soft confirmation, just kissed him over his sternum where the worst of it was, listened to Tony's soft, needy keen, and slid down to swallow Tony to the base. Tony locked his legs around Bucky, too busy clawing up Bucky's shoulders to keep quiet, filling the loft with gasps and moans and bitten back shouts.

"Fuck me," he demanded, shoving at Bucky's head until he popped free, licking precum and slick from his lips. It tasted fruity, much to his delight, finally finding the source of _that smell._ Tony growled at him, unwrapping his legs just to kick lightly at Bucky, making little grumbly noises over Bucky's persistently present clothing. For Tony, Bucky stripped, unable to withstand the grumpy pout Tony was giving him, and desperate to be free of his pants anyway.

Tony licked a stripe up Bucky's dick, drawing out a pained groan as he purred. Bucky preened. He was an _excellent_ alpha, and seeing Tony's dark-eyed approval, this tangible proof of how everything he was (at least to Tony, and Tony was the one that mattered) was like a shot of pure lust to his gut.

He draped Tony's leg over his shoulder, kissing his knee with a grin as Tony growled again. He dipped a thumb into Tony's hole, humming at the open wetness awaiting him, and then, as urgently as he had kissed Tony in the workshop, he buried himself in one firm thrust. Tony keened, arching, clenching down around Bucky, digging blunt nails into Bucky's shoulders and his heels into Bucky's back.

"Bucky," he whined as he gasped. His hips bobbed as he tried to get a good angle to fuck himself, too impatient to wait for Bucky. Bucky gripped his hip in a bruising grasp, and obliged Tony. Tony came before him, and clenched around Bucky tight enough to drag Bucky right over the edge after him. Bucky bit down where Tony's shoulder and neck met, pressing in close as aftershocks ran through the both of them, shuddering in each other's arms.

Eventually Tony said, voice hoarse, "We should do that again." Bucky snorted, kissing the mark he'd left.

And then they did.  
  
  
  


"I feel like this is supposed to be a more upsetting realization," Tony mused, watching through hooded eyes as Bucky kissed his hips, where his fingers had indeed left bruises.

"Which part?" Bucky asked, grinning at him. Tony grinned back.

"Well it's definitely not the part where I caught the guy of my dreams," he said, warm and soft. He was sticky with sweat and come, vaguely itchy from the same plus a few stray pieces of hay, and deliciously pliant under Bucky's touch.

"Does it bother you?" Bucky asked, pausing in his exploration to examine Tony's face. His smile was wide and true, open and bright like it only seemed to be for Bucky. Tony shook his head.

"I'd want you either way," he said, and Bucky had to crawl up there and kiss him for it.

"You got me," Bucky promised. They spent the morning tangled together, drawing out the last of Tony's heat, exchanging sloppy kisses and clinging touches. They were washing up in a stream when Shield arrived, and Bucky shoved his jacket at Tony, despite his eye roll. Yes yes, possessive alpha shenanigans, it was ridiculous, but also if any of them looked at Tony too long just then he was pretty sure he'd have to hurt them so this was probably an improvement. And anyway, Tony had been shivering.

Before Bucky could make any further attempts to cover up Tony, who was looking at him like if he tried _there would be_ _regrets_ , Pepper came jogging up, flushed and far too pleased with herself.

"I told everyone else to hang back," she said cheerfully, as Clint appeared with his arms full of clothes. "You two are about as subtle as a brick, by the way. I refuse to sleep in that barn. It's yours now." Bucky growled half-heartedly as she approached, subsiding when Tony shoved him. Pepper was another alpha, but she was also Tony's family, as he tried to pointedly remind himself.

"How was the trip?" Tony asked, accepting the underwear she passed him. "Also, I'm an omega." Pepper choked and Tony cackled. She shoved jeans in his smug face, both of them blushing.

"It was fine," she said. "Maria either didn't suspect us, or trusts you. And I guess that explains why the barn smells...weird. Why don't you smell like an omega?"

"Apparently you don't know what an omega smells like," Tony said, still smirking. He took off Bucky's jacket to put a shirt on, then put the jacket back on, which was so satisfying that Bucky grinned all through getting dressed himself and kind of felt like an idiot for it, but in a nice way. He had an omega who loved him and wore his jacket even if it was absolutely filthy, why shouldn't he be happy?

"Oh I _know_ ," Pepper said, and it was Bucky's turn to choke as she actually _leered_. He hadn't known her face could do that.

"Peanut gallery?" Bucky asked, pointing to Clint, who grinned.

"You're getting so much shit for this later," he signed, then held up his hand for a high five. Bucky accepted it. Tony eyed them, then looked at Pepper.

"Oh no," she said immediately. " _Jim_ is your bro. _He_ can high five you." She kissed his cheek though, and they took a moment to cuddle, reassuring themselves of one another's safety. It was the longest they'd been apart in years; honestly, the fact Rhodey hadn't come was pretty impressive. Actually...

"Where's Steve?" Bucky asked. Clint scowled.

"That bastard rigged the game," Clint grumbled. Probably roshambo, then; Steve was the only person Bucky had ever met who qualified as _good at rock-paper-scissors._ Clint meanwhile was the only one who persisted in ignoring this. Even Nat usually yielded to the wisdom of 'luck has his back.'

"Wait, Steve's here?" Tony asked, still hugging Pepper. He grinned. "I haven't seen him in _forever_." And the last time they had for more than a few minutes was when Bucky had lost his arm.

"Let's go say hi," Bucky suggested, holding out his hand. Tony gave Pepper one last squeeze, grinning at her, a secretive best-friends-forever little grin, before pulling away to grab Bucky's hand. He bumped their hips together, and took the lead, strolling off in the direction of horses and parked junkers.

Steve ran up before they'd reached the group, launching himself at both Bucky and Tony, wrapping then up in his gangly spaghetti arms. Tony made exaggerated choking noises until Steve adjusted, tucking Tony down half under Bucky so Steve could continue to hug the shit out of them.

"You two are so stupid!" he burst out, and preceded to scold them for seemingly everything he could think of, from their method of sneaking out of Stark Tower, to childhood stories that _really_ did not need to be rehashed, even exclaiming at one point, "I can't believe you don't even know to dodge a manticore!" Bucky checked to make sure that hadn't actually hurt Tony's feelings, relieved by Tony's chuckle and wry, "Well I know _now."_ Which was _not_ funny, no matter what Tony apparently thought.

Steve also hissed at Bucky for 'letting' a roc pick him up, and Bucky caught Tony giving him the exact same look Bucky had given him for the manticore comment. He grinned at Tony, earning a pinch from Steve, who took after his mom way too much.

When Steve had finally wound down, Tony wiggled out from under Bucky's arm, throwing himself at Steve, draping his arms over Steve's shoulders and doing a fair impression of an octopus.

"Hi," Tony said, looking intensely pleased with himself as Steve was forced to either hug him back or fall down.

"Hi Tony," Steve said. He hummed and gave in to the cuddles. "How have you been?"

"Missed you," Tony huffed. Bucky snorted to himself, leaving the two of them to their weird little ritual. He'd forgotten, honestly, that the two of them, after bristling like cats, had been instant best friends when they were little. Rhodey grinned at him, both of them exchanging an understanding look before indulging in a hug too.

"You good?" Rhodey asked.

"M'good. You?" Bucky returned, accepting Rhodey's _good_ as truth; unlike the idiots hugging it out, Rhodey didn't need the full mother hen routine. Usually. Bucky gave him a subtle little pat-down anyway.

"Honeybear!" Tony cried, holding open his arms to steal Rhodey for his customary bear hug. He also cheerfully said, "Guess who just had a _fantastic_ heat!"

Rhodey groaned. "You don't do anything by halves, do you?" he muttered, glaring in response to Tony's shameless grin.

"You're gonna spring that on everyone, huh," Bucky mused. Tony didn't bother to agree, since _yeah,_ _obviously._

Right on cue, Tony exclaimed with a disturbing and unholy glee, "Nicky!" and ran off to try and give Fury a heart attack. In all fairness, if anyone could, it was Tony.

"Are ya happy, Buck?" Steve asked, sidling up, as much as a skinny giant could be said to _sidle_. Bucky smiled at him, ruffling his hair.

"Probably," he said, too happily to be anything but a solid _yes_. "We've gotta sort out Tony's thing. But then, yeah. I think we'll work it out. Maybe get that alliance after all."

"Guess I could be a Stark," Steve mused, eyeing Pepper speculatively. Bucky made a mental note to see if there was anything there he could use to make up for ten years of getting teased about Tony.

As Tony cackled over Fury's scowl, Bucky shook his head. "C'mon, punk. Let's go see what the plan is." Not like they'd make one without Steve. Not if they knew what was good for them.  
  
  
  


Tony had to give a comprehensive breakdown of everyone in Stark Tower proper. It was disturbingly easy to conclude that _everyone_ was pretty suspicious. It was practically part of the Stark brand to be vaguely suspicious in everything they did. Even Tony was suspicious, and he was the one trying to catch--whoever.

"Let's assume it's not your parents," Steve suggested, which helped a bit.

"Uncle Obie," Tony sighed after some consideration. He leaned into James, contemplating his pseudo uncle. Obie was one of those manly men alpha sorts, and Tony had never been that. Obie had tried to be close to him when he was a kid, but things had changed at some point, and Tony suspected it was right around when he'd started actually liking James.

"Why?" Steve asked, because of course he did.

Tony bit his lip, knowing it was stupid. "He doesn't like James," he murmured. His boyfriend (?) kissed his hair, cuddling closer. They were grouped around a fire, horses milling nearby, including Lucy who had made friends with James's Winter and snubbed the rest of them. It was kind of great.

Steve was looking at Tony funny. Tony tilted his head in question.

"Sorry, it's just--I assumed your whole family hated Bucky by now," Steve admitted. Tony shook his head.

"Mom still likes him, honestly," he admitted. "She laughed her ass off when news spread about James being an alpha. No one really held the whole thing against James, not that they ever said where I could hear at least."

Rhodey made a sudden, undignified little noise that turned into a laugh. "Hold on, that time with the tar--?" he asked, cut off when Tony kicked at his ankles.

"Shut up," Tony grumbled, red-faced. "No one talks shit about my James."

James kissed his ear, and Tony twisted to see his adorable grin. He took the opportunity to kiss James's nose, admiring those silver eyes he'd noticed way back when they were dumb little kids. He sighed. James was so pretty.

"Your family sounds a lot more reasonable than mine," James said. Tony hummed.

"Wait," he said, realizing he couldn't just hum that away. "Your family hates me?" That made James blush, which was almost enough to distract him, but, "Really!? I was eight! I got _stabbed!"_ He _was_ a little disgruntled, but he couldn't hold his laughter back well enough to project that. "So _petty_!" he cried, honestly kind of delighted, and then he accidentally skimmed a hand over James's ribs, making him jolt, and that was pretty distracting.

They only stopped their tickle fight when Rhodey started throwing things. Nat calmly declared Tony the winner, and indulged him in a fist bump, which clearly meant she loved him best, as he proudly told James.

Nat didn't disagree, even when Clint squawked a protest. Tony beamed.

"Alright, where's Obie?" Steve asked. He sounded like he was taking notes in his head. Tony sighed.

"That's the other thing," he said. "He moved out of the Tower a couple years ago, which was fine. People come and go a lot. But last month he left Stark territory altogether, and right around the same time, a new warlord cropped up in the south, sporting brand new Stark tech." He grimaced. The Starks had a reputation when it came to their tech, a reputation that involved a lot of pain for thieves. It was well earned too; the last time they had a traitor was before Tony was born, but people still talked about Maria throwing the traitor off the fifth floor, out a window that was still only boarded up, even though they had the means to replace it. Everyone agreed the man was lucky to have landed wrong, dying more-or-less on impact.

Judging by the bruising, his parents could have kept him alive for much longer.

"That...sounds like our best candidate," Steve said. Obie--Stane--wasn't the only one who was suspiciously away from the Tower, or otherwise suspicious as all hell, but with the added gut feeling on Tony's part, he was their best idea.

"We'll have to take him alive," Tony mused. He saw Pepper tense out of the corner of his eye. He knew her too well to mistake it for nerves or disagreement; Pepper was a Stark woman to the core, no matter her blood. He smiled at Steve serenely. "Someone will need to convince Mama and the Barneses."

"And you think he'll go along with it?" James asked, a frown in his voice. Tony's smile grew, and he turned to bat his big doe eyes at James, leaning against him again.

"I think we Starks can be _very_ persuasive," he murmured. The tone and words might have been suggestive, but he felt James shiver, so he assumed the message was clear.

Starks did not abide traitors. Fittingly, loyalty was rewarded well. Pepper and Rhodey were his bodyguards, but they were also two of the highest ranked people in the Tower, and even those that outranked them weren't likely to naysay them over much. They were as spoiled as the Starks could make them, and trusted above all others. Truth was, they didn't need Stane to talk, not to convince his parents. Tony might be doubted, at least by the general populace of the Tower, but with his word and theirs, never mind that their loyalty went through him, the Starks would have no doubts that Stane was a traitor to the family.

"You're kinda scary, huh doll?" James murmured. Judging by the blown pupils, Tony would guess James very much approved. Fair enough; he was pretty sure they both had a massive competence kink. Tony sure as hell did.

"I try," Tony chirped, pecking James on the nose again. He liked how it made James crinkle his nose and go a little cross-eyed. He might be Tony's badass alpha, but he was also the cutest person ever. Tony wanted to shower him in the softest cloths, surround him with stuffed animals, cover him in puppies, and lay all over him. He also wanted to lick him all over, feeling jealous now of all the exploring James got to do while Tony was needy from his heat. He felt himself pouting as he thought of this, and went with it. James deserved it, having clearly _deprived_ Tony.

James kissed him, thoroughly, and Tony decided he could stop pouting; he was pretty certain James would let him _explore_ too, later.

While they'd been distracted, Pepper and Rhodey had filled everyone in on everything they knew about Stane, and he assumed they'd talked more about his being Tony's 'uncle' because everyone was looking kinda...murdery.

"Aw, did you mention the stairs thing?" he whined. "Or was it the party?" Pepper gave him a look.

"Tony," she said. "It was everything. All that shit Maria would have murdered him for if you ever bothered to tell anyone before _you_ decided it was _relevant_." Tony sunk down under the weight of her glare and then, to his mortification, James just _had_ to hear it all again since he'd been busy distracting Tony. And--yep everyone was fully on board the _make Stane talk_ campaign now. Cool.

"Can we go to bed now?" Tony demanded, pouting as everyone around him fumed on his behalf.

"Well," James murmured. "Everyone agrees they'd rather sleep outside than in the loft." As Steve and Rhodey groaned, Pepper pretended not to hear, Clint made what were probably supposed to be suggestive faces, and Nat just winked, Tony scrambled up, bid everyone a quick good night, and dragged Bucky off. It _was_ his turn, after all.  
  
  
  


Steve and Phil found out more about the warlord in the south from the Parkers, who knew an awful lot for a family that wasn't _actually_ a trading post. By mid afternoon, they had a plan, and everyone in the caravan was on board; they were all for taking down some asshole wannabe warlord, after all. They stopped by a bigger, proper trading post, passing on things that needed delivering, and word of their temporary absence that would get spread through the ever reliable caravan grapevine.

Then it was a lot of travelling, mostly boring with the occasional Creature attack. Humans and Creatures alike were mostly smart enough to recognize them as the threat they were. Tony was absolutely _dying_ of boredom about three days in. Honestly, Bucky was proud of him for lasting even that long.

It might've been bad, but everyone knew Tony was the reason Lola pretty much purred, so Tony started spending down time digging in junkers, getting covered in decades worth of grime. He _loved_ it.

Hilariously, Lucy took to standing guard, and tended to look deeply suspicious of the junkers eating his human. The time he kicked a junker after Tony burned his hand was Bucky's favourite. And everyone very quickly discovered that Lucy had a short temper when Tony was distracted. He only tolerated Bucky and Winter, and Lucy became known as their resident hellbeast, a title previously owned by Nat's vicious black mare.

Pepper and Rhodey took turns driving or riding without apparent preference, happy to trade around whenever someone needed a break. Pepper proved to be a terror on horseback, and Rhodey was a demon behind the wheel, both of which surprised absolutely no one. Starks they might be, but they were Barnes warrior level terrifying, and then some. Bucky didn't question how; he was pretty sure he was happier without knowing.

Tony learned to fall asleep on Lucy's back and not fall off, something he was suspiciously good at, probably from sleeping in a lot of precarious places over the years. And Bucky? Well, Bucky got a lot of kisses, among other things.

It was the most fun he'd ever had with the caravan, and that was saying something; Creature attacks not withstanding, Bucky enjoyed being part of Shield.

Their three friends apiece quickly turned into one big unit, and the eight of them could always be counted upon to know how to find each other (even if it was often just yelling for each other until the person in demand appeared purely to shut them up). Bucky did get to tease Steve over Pepper a little, and put up with all manner of signed teasing about he and Tony. Phil started taking naps with his head in Clint or Nat's lap, which was a great way to get both of them to sleep for a bit, and served to confuse everyone except maybe Phil.

Cuddled up together for bed, Bucky and Tony would press smiling kisses to each other, basking in contentment. They were on their way to battle, but along the way? They had a pretty nice time.  
  
  
  


After all that, the warlord was...anticlimactic. Standing atop a hill, Tony powered his gauntlet up to full blast, and Rhodey braced him; Bucky was on the ground with a rifle. Tony blew up one of the weapons caches, and when their resident warlord came out, Bucky shot out his knee, getting the other a moment later. With the encampment increasingly falling into fiery chaos, they stormed in as a team, Shield spreading out to pick off his followers.

The Starks plus Nat went in to talk to the warlord.

They came back short a warlord, but with a location for Stane.

They didn't walk away unscathed, but there were no Shield casualties, which was pretty close to unscathed, all things considered. And Stane was close enough that, once they had everyone patched up, they rode on. The eight of them tackled Stane alone; he had no army, no fort, just a handful of not-so-loyal guards and a house. Shield had their backs with snipers in the trees, more than enough cover as they dropped guards and strode right through the front door. Stane had been cocky.

Tony lounged against the wall, looking on as his friends made sure Stane knew why he should sing like a canary on command. Tony's ankle was in a brace, and Clint had a splint on his arm, while the rest bore assorted minor wounds and bandaging from the more exhaustive assault on the warlord. The addition of blood did nothing to reduce the fearsome impact of them all standing together, brimming with a deadly rage.

They loaded Stane up into the back of one of the trucks, and set out northward again. Barnes Villa first; part because it was closer, and part because Tony pointed out that it was the best way to ensure the Barneses would get a chance at Stane, giving Bucky one of those sweet, scary smiles that Bucky was uncomfortably attracted to.  
  
  
  


One morning while Tony was waist-deep in one of the junkers' engines, Bucky grabbed Rhodey and Steve.

"Wanna go on a quick scavenge?" he asked, grinning. "We passed a little town about an hour off, looks empty. Figure we can take a couple horses, see if there's anything neat?"

"Anything you're looking for in particular, Buck?" Steve asked, the observant punk. Bucky gave him a little shove, ducking his head.

"I know Tony and I skipped a lotta stuff," he said. "But I was thinking, I didn't get him anything for courtin, y'know? Not even stuff for an alpha. I just wanna find him somethin pretty. Which is why I grabbed you." He nodded to Rhodey. "Figure you can keep me from being stupid." His expression turned hopeful, and while Rhodey sometimes wanted to fight Bucky for his best friend's honor or something like that, Bucky was his friend too. He could lend a hand.

"Yeah alright. Could stand to get away from everyone for a while anyway," Rhodey agreed. They mounted up, Rhodey on Clint's Lucky, who loved everyone. (Nat's Widow only liked terrifying redheads, evidently, which narrowed it down to Nat and Pepper.)

The town was more of a rundown collection of shops with houses tucked further back into the woods, some kind of old trading post or something, Bucky guessed. They couldn't find any signs of habitation, so they started rummaging. They weren't the first scavengers, but the place hadn't been as well picked over as most places Bucky saw. It was fun, finding old food packages and trying to figure out what the food had been like. They found a few cans of stuff, brought Lucky in to use as a pack horse, careful to keep him balanced and not overload the lanky fellow.

They looked over old maps, stole parts of whatever tech they could carry, poked around in closets of cleaning supplies old enough to be some kind of toxin already. The houses proved even more fruitful, literally in the case of canned food. They piled everything by the doors to send others for later, with a junker or more horses or something other than one big but lanky horse, a lean gelding who couldn't carry much, and Steve's little bay mare who could carry more than Winter since Steve didn't weigh much but still couldn't carry _that_ much.

They found a lot, including things Bucky couldn't wait to give to Tony, looked upon approvingly by a grinning Rhodey, who had warmed up further after seeing how well Bucky really did know Tony.

He arranged everything nicely, strapped to the back of Winter's saddle across his haunches. They rode back to camp victorious.

Bucky went and grabbed Tony, dragged him off for a quick scrub with some grease-eater they always had on hand because of the junkers. Then, with Tony clean-ish and curious and them both a little hot and bothered, Bucky lead him to where Winter waited. Lucy had joined the other gelding, since they had yet to find a lead the hellbeast wouldn't snap, and Tony grinned at his favorite horses. Bucky convinced him to sit down instead of getting some horsey love, which he was kind of proud of. Tony was a shameless cuddleslut and had only gotten more inclined to grab snuggles whenever possible since running off with Bucky; and horses, at least Winter and Lucy, were fair game.

Bucky had wondered if the cuddle thing was an omega thing, and quickly realized it was a Tony thing and that was all that mattered.

"You spent more'n a year spoilin me, doll," Bucky said, shrugging his metal arm, which was far from the only thing Tony had given him while they were dodging Starks and improving Bucky's arm. "Let me?" So Tony sat, and waited with his eyes closed when Bucky asked. He waited as Bucky started piling things into his lap, even as he bit his lip and blushed and occasionally tried to protest only to have Bucky cut him off with a kiss.

Bucky sat down in front of him and told him to look.

Tony started with the blankets, an improbably soft, fuzzy one and a plush quilt that had been protected in sealed plastic. He touched them reverently, and Bucky knew that was a little bit omega, from the way Tony's scent got sweeter and Tony's posture got a little softer. _Nesting,_ Bucky thought, remembering old omega lessons, and grinned, knowing he'd picked well. Tony set the blankets carefully into the bag Bucky had laid out for that purpose, so they wouldn't get dirty.

Next was a collection of scarves and socks, mostly because it was funny, and Tony laughed as he looked through them, touching the soft ones like he had the blankets but mostly just giggling. Not that they weren't useful, but a bunch of them were bizarre prints, like llamas or candy wrappers, and it was weird and cute and a little adorable.

Then, the box. Stained wood, unadorned, with black velvet inside, only a little worn despite the age. He looked at the pieces of jewelry, a whole assortment, but in particular he looked at the ones Bucky had arranged on top; a pair of bangles with circuitry of some sort in them; a band of gold inlaid with rubies and an odd, electric blue gem; and a thin gold chain anklet. Simple, pretty, nothing ostentatious, or overtly omega, or in the way of tinkering. Tony picked them up, then smiled slyly at Bucky.

"Lend a hand?" he asked, and Bucky knee-walked over to put the pieces on him, peppering him with kisses. As he clipped the anklet, careful of Tony's hurt ankle, Tony climbed into his lap, pushed him onto the ground, and kissed him senseless.

They took a while getting back to the group.  
  
  
  


They almost made it onto Barnes land without a fuss, except someone spotted the hickeys on Bucky and, already excited by the return of the prodigal son (so to speak) the guard couldn't resist teasing. Tony didn't hear exactly what was said, riding Lucy a good dozen paces away, but he heard Bucky snarl, "Don't talk about him like that." And as the guard crowed, someone else noticed that _Tony_ had a nice necklace of bites and beardburn, and took a leap of faith. Their furious blushing gave the game away, to hooting delight, and they could only be grateful no one had recognized Tony.

Winter and Lucy walked shoulder to shoulder the rest if the way to the Villa, Lucy chomping at a few unwise attempts to get a better look at Tony, who was trying to be inconspicuous in a cap and too large jacket, both borrowed. If he'd known he would be under so much scrutiny, he would have taken his jewelry off; when someone spotted his ring and yelled about it, Tony gave up. He chucked the cap at Steve, shrugged the jacket off, and took up grinning and waving like a star while Bucky laughed.

Good thing he'd shaved that morning, he figured.

It wasn't a parade, no crowds gathered or anything, but they took the most populated group, and with them clearly battle-worn, lugging a trussed up prisoner, and accompanied by the familiar faces of Bucky and Steve, they drew enough attention that they _did_ have a welcoming party, of sorts, at the Villa.

Bucky's sisters awaited them, even Kit, who was all of seven and already had the temper of--their mother, actually. Sarah was there as well, looking simultaneously relieved and worried. Tony winked at her in a hopefully reassuring manner. He was pretty sure they weren't going to try and kill or maim him.

Pretty sure.

The oldest stood at the head, Becca Barnes in all her dragon-tempered glory. Her eyes were ice blue, her skin improbably tanned even darker than Bucky's, hair sun-bleached to almost-blond streaks. She wasn't obviously Bucky's sister, but recognizably, from the set of her jaw to that particularly Barnes-ish lip bite, the one that was more impatience than nerves.

"Bucky," she said, voice calm, but carrying across the town square like a general's bellow. Bucky ducked his head a little, ears reddening, under his elder sister's look. Tony was prepared to bristle, defensively or protectively. He wasn't about to apologize for their relationship, or even for the war perpetuated by lies and misinformation; he wasn't sorry for the first, and as for the second, he was pretty sure that was between their parents and the others who had pursued revenge over truth.

But when he met Becca's eyes, they were glimmering with humor and mischief, and she flashed him a quick, bright smile that brought out both dimples _and_ freckles in devastating combination.

"You look like you've had an adventure, little brother," Becca said, looking away from Tony. Bucky's shoulders lost some of their tension at her smile. "Bring your friends inside and tell us about it." They got their horses settled with Shield's herd, as the caravan set up shop as if it were all business as usual. And as requested, it was the friends who went in, all eight, even the nervous Starks.

Sarah hugged her two boys quickly, and gave Tony a quick half hug for good measure, nodding to Pepper and Rhodey. As a group they all paused a little, hesitating, tempted to dissolve into hugs all around, particularly the Barneses. But there was news to impart, and a meal to be had.

"It's a long story," Bucky prefaced cautiously.

"Sorta," Tony said, nose scrunching. "Not really. It was kinda just slow, hon."

"You're not helping, Tony," Bucky sighed.

"Tell me about _that_ first," Becca requested, more polite in relative privacy.

"Please don't," Clint groaned.

"They spent a decade mutually pining, and professed their undying love while on the run," Pepper clarified when Becca looked at the group questioningly, all of them having made noises of complaint when Clint had.

"They're disgusting please don't make us listen to them be sappy?" Clint offered. "Like they're cute and I'm happy for them, but they're in this horrible honeymoon phase that's making me regret my entire life."

Becca's stern expression broke in favor of a cackle, and the rest of the girls burst into giggles. Bucky looked like he was dying. Tony just snickered along, unsympathetic; it wasn't like Bucky was going to help when his mama started in on--everything.

"Okay, just the bare details then," Becca allowed. "How'd you two meet again?"

"The caravan," Bucky said immediately.

"I was there when the roc got him," Tony said, mood souring at the memory. He liked their story, mostly, he did. But not--not that. Bucky reached out and took his hand.

"He had to sit with Bucky while we worked on him," Sarah chimed in, tone deceptively bland. Steve hid a smile. "He stayed in my house until Bucky was well enough for him to leave."

"That long?" Becca demanded, turning to walk backwards so she could gape at them. "And they've been--attached? The whole time?" Sarah shrugged, smiling. Becca swatted at her brother. "Bucky! You should have said something! You're not Juliet, little brother." Tony laughed.

"He's more Romeo, actually," he said, grinning. "I built him his new arm, by the way. But yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm Juliet."

"Have you ever read Shakespeare?" Phil wondered.

"Are you saying I'm _not_ Juliet?" Tony demanded.

"You are definitely Juliet," Phil said.

Becca was _thrilled._ This was evidently the best thing to have happened in her life since the time she killed an actual dragon. She announced that the rest could wait until their parents were home, and they all wound up sprawled around the yard in the shade as they ate lunch. Contrary to concerns, the Barnes matriarch and patriarch joined them without any fanfare whatsoever. The just sat down and started eating, and eventually got the whole story, including a few sordid (not _that_ sordid) details, enough that the boys were blushing vibrantly as their friends cackled, given a taste of vengeance at last.

They had guards bring Stane in, and heard his side of the story, with some prompting. They agreed to let the Starks handle him, having _also_ heard the story of Maria and the Starks' last traitor.

Three days later, they headed for Stark Tower with an even bigger group, no one willing to leave until they'd seen the whole mess concluded, and many just wanting to see that conclusion.

"So, your family still like me, right?" Bucky asked nervously. The three days had been mostly pleasant, with a few shovel talks and generic threats.

"There's only my two parents," he said instead of confirming.

"That's not comforting, I've _met_ your mother," Bucky hissed. Tony leaned over to peck him on the cheek, Lucy crow-hopping with a grouchy snort when he felt Tony slide a bit.

"Love you," Tony sang, because there was really no lessening how scary his mother was. The two of them should be used to it, considering every woman they knew was absolutely terrifying, but it seemed like every time they turned around, someone had gone up a scariness level.

"Love you too," Bucky said, smiling like a great big sap, and really, Tony wasn't worried; his parents would _love_ James and mercilessly embarrass Tony.

After his mom scared the shit out of James, of course. It _was_ tradition.

 

**Author's Note:**

> The only reason there's not soulmates too is because it felt like too much and I didn't think of the perfect way to do it until I'd already written most of this. Tiny snippet for funsies: (aka I wrote it so read it)
> 
> "So Dad has the same mark?" Tony asked, tracing the fire symbol etched onto Maria's arm in solid black lines. His mother looked at him oddly.  
> "Why would you think that, dear?" she asked carefully, lips twitching a little with faint amusement.  
> "That's what soulmates are, right? Matching symbols?" he said, looking askance, suddenly not feeling so sure. Maria smiled.  
> "That would make things easier, perhaps, but no," Maria said, petting his hair. "It's the opposite. Your father has a colored image of water. It's a little complicated, I suppose. You've got to look around, and maybe you'll fall in love with someone who's symbol makes sense."  
> Tony blinked. He stared at the ground. He touched his hip, biting his lip.  
> "Mama?" he said.  
> "Yes, mi passerino?" she murmured tenderly.  
> "What's the opposite of a star?"  
> "A star? I--well, I'm not sure," she admitted, frowning slightly. "Why, bambino?" Tony gnawed his lip a little harder.  
> "Cause...Mama," he said. "I think the opposite of a star might be...math." And he pulled up his shirt, exposing the Fibonacci sequence in technicolor, sprawled across his hip bone, bigger and brighter with every day that passed. Maria touched it with reverent fingertips, then kissed his cheek.  
> "Oh bambi," she murmured. "Are you ready to write a letter now?"


End file.
